Seasons
by xooxu
Summary: A series of Oneshots for each of the members of Team 7. Naruto understood winter, Sasuke hated spring, Sakura loved summer, and Kakashi remembered autumn. [some OOC, rated for weird imagry, Used to be Winter]
1. Winter

This is my holiday tribute. I've been feeling sad, so it isn't happy.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto isn't mine.

**Summary: **Winter was Naruto's favorite season not because of the holidays or presents. It was his favorite because it was the only season that understood. Rated beacause it might be a bit difficult to get some of the imagery, OOC

* * *

Naruto stared up at the pale, winter sky, snowflakes falling all around him. The cold, white snow made him shiver as it fell on his face. He loved winter; it was the only season that understood him. Spring was thoroughly happy, and summer was too fun. Fall held second place, with everything falling asleep, dying, and beautiful. But nothing compared to winter.

For you see, Naruto was a like a picture. He held a smile always, and was as happy as can be. And everyone wanted him to be that way, to make them feel better. To let them know that even though it was tough, they'd make it through, just like he has. But on the inside, he was dead. He had given up long ago. He kept the mask only so that he could bare the sight of himself. He was cold and dark, forgotten by everyone, including himself. Just like winter. The snowy scenes were pretty to look at through the warm safety of a window, but what everyone had forgotten was being stuck out there in the bitter cold.

Winter was Naruto's favorite season not because of the holidays or presents. It was his favorite because he, too, was on the unseen side, bitter and cold.

Naruto walked the dirt road. He wore an orange coat that was heavier than his usual. He sighed; his warm, frustrated breath making a small cloud before disappearing into the cold.

"Naruto!" The blonde looked to his right to see a familiar pink haired girl walking up to him from the crowded city, a raven haired boy walking along side of her.

"Sakura, Sasuke, hi!" the blonde said cheerfully, so cheerfully he almost fooled himself. Sakura smiled at this happiness, as was expected.

"Hi, Naruto! We were just walking around, and we saw you. So I thought we'd say hi." Something inside Naruto flinched. He guessed that they hadn't casually met, like they had him.

Naruto smiled, though, on the outside, "Are you two on a date or something?"

Sakura smiled, which gave it away. Naruto's heart sank deep into his chest, but he kept his smile without a flaw. "Yeah, I finally got him to go out with me!!"

"She wouldn't stop asking," Sasuke chimed in.

Naruto couldn't say anything, but instead increased his smile, to show that he heard and cared. He didn't want to say a cliché, but he hadn't ever really been in this situation before. "Finally! I thought you would never get him. Guess I was wrong, huh?"

Sakura smiled brightly, but Sasuke gave Naruto a sympathetic, apologetic look. "Naruto, can I talk to you later?"

"Huh?" Naruto said, giving Sasuke a confused look, "Sure. Why not? Has anyone seen Kakashi-sensei?"

"I think he's on a mission now. We're sorry, Naruto, but we're going to see a movie, and it starts in a few minutes. We'll see you later though." The pink haired girl gave a cheerful, apologetic smile before tugging on her date's sleeve, and dragging, in a sense, him away.

Sasuke gave Naruto a pleading look, one that begged for forgiveness, then followed the girl away, toward the main part of Konoha. Naruto's cheery look faded rapidly as soon as he turned away. The fifteen year old boy had gone through pain unimaginable, from wounds so deep he was lucky to survive, to being flung onto rocks, breaking so many bones. No matter the injury, they all hurt deeply. Yet, all of those wounds would heal, the pain would disappear, the cuts and bruises would fade, bones would mend.

This pain, though, would never vanish. It was a scar, a painfully deep scar; and it was the most painful thing he ever felt. He couldn't sleep it off or rest and get better. Instead he would have to bare it, smile through the unseen tears.

Winter was Naruto's favorite season. Not because of the pretty snow or the holiday cheer, but because it was the only time of the year that no one wanted to be out in the bitter cold. No one wanted to go into the deep forest, where branches held off the snow, but the cold was at its worst. Thus no one would find Naruto sitting sadly on a lonely branch.


	2. Spring

Sasuke's season story. I was just going to make this another story, but I thought it would be better as a chapter. Flame if you wish. This is following Winter.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but the plot. XD

**Summary: **There are so many reasons why Sasuke hates spring, but he never thought that someone would agree.

* * *

Sasuke stared up at the cherry blossom tree he was laying under. The budding pink petals swayed in the spring breeze, causing some to fall out of their place on the tree. The cloudless blue sky showed through the branches and blossoms. It was a beautiful day: the sun shown brightly, the grass was green, birds sang out, and the reflection on the lake was crystal clear. Sasuke hated it all. He hated nothing more than the cheery feeling in the air. He hated a lot of things, but this was a loathing.

Spring was too happy, too lively, and, worse yet, it was the season of love. All the fan girls went crazy, asking him on dates and for kisses. But worst of all, it was the season that Itachi murdered the rest of his family. He remembered how it used to be his favorite season when he was younger, before all of that mess. When he would play his brother, and go running in the forest where all of the most beautiful spring flowers were. But how he cried on that magnificent spring night.

Spring knew nothing of suffering or hate. And Sasuke knew nothing of joy and compassion. He knew not of the warm feeling that was given off as the birds chirped. Nor did he care about the "pretty flowers" blooming about the town. Spring held nothing more for him than an anniversary. A memorial visit to the cemetery. A death date.

Sasuke blew out air as a petal fell on his face, causing it to fly away. Spring was Naruto's season. How could it not be? He always smiled, always laughed, and he brought cheer to people who knew him. Just like spring.

He thought back to the only time he saw Naruto sad. It was in winter, when Sasuke agreed to go on a date with Sakura. Naruto had hid it pretty well. In fact, if Sasuke didn't know that he was sad, he would had said the blonde looked pretty happy. Of course, Sasuke knew better, how could Naruto not have been sad? He had feelings for Sakura.

Sasuke didn't go on another date with Sakura again. He could stand the sight of the girl.

The brunette sat up, stirring some of the fallen blossoms around him. "Sasuke! What are you doing out here?"

Sasuke looked at the road on the other side of the lake. There stood the blonde, smiling as usual. The raven haired boy smiled and shook his head slightly, then looked back at Naruto, "Wasting time!" he shouted back.

Naruto jumped over to where Sasuke was. Naruto sat down beside Sasuke, staring at the scene before them. Sasuke watched Naruto for a second, before the blonde asked, "Beautiful, huh?"

Sasuke looked out over the lake, sighing. "Yeah."

Naruto sighed as well, then took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I hate it all."

"What?" Sasuke gave the blonde an alien look. "How?"

"It's too happy. All the girls are love struck, and none of them give me a second glance. The birds are on a sugar high and won't shut up, and reminds me of the time learned what it meant to have no family. I like winter more."

"Winter?" Sasuke pondered. Naruto liked winter more than spring? The happy-go-lucky blonde favored the cold and death over the rebirth and warmth? He looked back over the lake.

"What about you? What's your favorite season?" Naruto look over at the raven haired boy.

Sasuke sighed again as another bud fell to the ground. What was his favorite season? "Autumn. I like the fact that almost another year is over. It means dying, and falling asleep, the opposite of spring."

"Really? Winter ... is just so forgotten," the blonde stared back over the lake and sky, thinking of what he felt, "When people think of winter, they think of holidays, and the pretty snow. No one thinks of the cold, or the lost. Winter, to them, is a holiday card and presents, not a night outside in the freezing cold, trying to survive, like it was how long ago."

"Huh? I didn't think you thought like that. I thought spring or summer would be your favorite season."

"I know. I'm always so happy. But spring is so stupid, and summer reminds too much of the fact I don't have a family, with my birthday and all." Sasuke looked over at Naruto, and noticed the absence of a smile.

Sasuke watched as Naruto stood and held out his hand help Sasuke up. He smiled, "Want to go spar?"

Sasuke took his hand and pulled himself up. He had many reasons for hating spring, but he never thought that anyone would agree with him. Especially not Uzumaki Naruto. That only showed that not all was how it seamed. "Sure, dobe. By the way, you know the only reason I said yes to Sakura is because she was getting on my nerves, right?"

Naruto sighed and smiled, "Yeah, I know."

Uchiha Sasuke hated spring for so many reasons, but mostly because it reminded him that through the happiness, could come tears. Sasuke didn't want their to be anything hidden, only the straight truth. But now ... Sasuke realized that in anything, there could be a lie. In sadness, could come a smile.


	3. Autumn

**A/N:** I know summer was supposed to come first, but I figured this one out quicker, and I really don't feel like writing about Sakura. So here it is, "Autumn", for your enjoyment.

I'm trying to work on dialogue, but Naruto isn't the best character for that. He's got too little of a vocabulary normally and speaks too much like a child. When Naruto says, "I know exactly what you mean," I wanted to put, "I understand." This might not seem too important to some, or even like there's a difference, but if it does, I wanted to let you see what I see: just the pure beauty of it.

The other chapters have more about the actual season than this one does, but this one wasn't really supposed to, you. It's supposed to show that he's too caught up in the past to notice the present.

**Warning:** I would read the "Kakashi Chronicles" before reading this. There's just too much implied to get it if you haven't read it before. This one's pretty clean, though, minus a swear or two.

--

Everything had changed. In a matter of hours, everything was turned up-side-down and the fragile contents came to a crashing halt. What would've happened if it had been left alone? Where would Kakashi have ended up? Who could ever know? His life was full of mistakes. As a result, he was late every morning to greet his students, who were turning out to be so much like how his life had been. But they were stronger in that sense, keeping their lives and work inter-tangled, mixed and ever-holding. The blended personal problems of each met with the others and nothing was left untouched. But Kakashi had been so distant, so aloof. "Too good for them," he had told himself. "Unneeded and unneeding." Yet, now, too many years later, he couldn't help but think about how he couldn't have been more of an idiot.

The golden leaves swooped and swayed their way, silently and softly hitting the ground. From his place on the branch, Kakashi caught one and turned it over in his hand. He was miles—and years—away. He was off in some forest, yelling at a late fifteen year old. He was in a practice field, standing triumphantly over a crying loser. He was putting flowers at the base of a memorial stone engrave with thousands of fallen names.

The worst part of it all was that he could never forget. Each morning that he got up—and there were mornings when he didn't—he saw his gift from his fifteen year old comrade. He could never avoid it, never break the blame, never forgive either of them. It was forever with him, a permanent scar in two meanings.

The leaf was turned over once more before crumbling in a gloved palm. Kakashi stared at the branches encased with the brilliance of autumn. It had always been his favorite season. So beautiful…so breakable. He always found himself thinking of the past during these few months, though. When it all happened, he barely noticed. Now, every time he dipped back into his memory, the colors—the reds and golds and oranges—were so obvious, too noticeable. They captivated him, grasping him with awe. It was truly better than focusing on the details of the actual memories, the red shine in _his_ eye, the swift clinks and rings of metal blades clashing together. It was such a gorgeous sound, fighting: an orchestra that just couldn't seem to fade away. Where was the ritardando? What measure did the diminuendo begin? Why forte?

"Kakashi-sensei? Are you okay?" a blonde voice called up through the leaves and branches.

The silver-haired man lazily looked down at the blue eyes gazing up at him, "Hello, Naruto. What can I do for you?"

Naruto said nothing, just stood there waiting for an answer to his original question.

Kakashi sighed, running fingers through his mob of hair, "I'm fine, Naruto, just thinking too much about too many things."

"Obito?"

The word, forbidden in his mind, shocked Kakashi, and surprise coursed through his veins. Breath escaped him for a few seconds, and a heartbeat or two were skipped. "W-who told you about him?"

"Jiraiya. And about the Forth Hokage-sama and Rin. He can really talk when he gets drunk."

Kakashi was silent for a few seconds, looking back to the leaves, falling swiftly and slowly at the same time. The details he tried to ignore played over and over again. Another ensemble with a disastrous pause, but it continued none-the-less with a new instrument and a missing musician. "He was a lot like you. And I was like Sasuke in a way. That might be the easiest way to explain it."

Naruto nodded, "I know exactly what you mean."

The late fall sky deepened and darkened, lining the heavens in a deep, vibrant blue. Just as it had that night, so many years ago.


End file.
